IPSC to take part in Israeli Blood Diamond Awareness Event in London

This coming Saturday 20th August, activists from the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and Palestine solidarity groups in Britain will be on the streets in Hatton Garden, London to inform shoppers and jewellers about the trade in Israeli blood diamonds. The event commences at 11.30 am.

Seán Clinton, a member of the IPSC who will be part of the event stated: “Contrary to assurances from jewellery industry representatives, the diamond market is still heavily contaminated with diamonds that are funding gross human rights violations including war crimes and crimes against humanity. While there has been much comment in recent months about the export of blood-tainted diamonds from Zimbabwe, the export of blood-tainted diamonds from Israel continues unchallenged.”

Mr Clinton continued: “Israel is the world’s leading diamond exporter in value terms. Diamonds are Israel’s most important export commodity, accounting for over 30% of Israel’s exports. Revenue from the Israeli diamond industry generates about $1 billion in funding for the Israeli military each year. When someone buys a diamond processed in Israel some of their money ends up funding war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine.”

Mr. Clinton further said “the action in London will focus attention on the gaping hole in the Kimberley Process regulations that facilitates the trade in cut & polished blood diamonds and the fact that Jewellers facilitate the trade in Israeli blood diamonds and have introduced a bogus ‘system of warranties’ in an attempt to convince shoppers that they are ‘conflict free’.”

He noted that: “We believe it is critical to inform the public that diamonds are not a girls best friend when they are used to finance Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and it’s regime of ethnic cleansing and apartheid, the theft of land and water resources and continued human rights abuses of the Palestinian people.”

In conclusion Mr. Clinton asked the public “not to buy diamonds unless they are hallmarked to identify where they were cut and polished and not to be fooled by claims that diamonds are ‘ethically sourced’ or ‘conflict free’ as they may still be from Israel and funding gross human rights violations.” He further called on jewellers “to end the trade in Israeli blood diamonds and to support the call for the introduction of a hallmarking system for diamonds so consumers have information about the provenance of diamonds and the right to choose diamonds processed in countries that respect human rights and international law.”